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 GREECE BEFORE THE WAR OF 1 897. 211 general collapse of Turkey might produce both in the East and the West, hesitated and finally consented to yield to the wishes of Europe. She consented to contribute her part to realize the wishes of the powers for an immediate pa- cification and checked the action which had already begun for the realization of what the Hellenes have desired for so many centuries. This she did after having received from Europe a promise that the rights of the Hellenic race should be taken into consideration. The Hel- lenic government could not leave the inhabitants of the insurgent provinces exposed to all the horrors of a bloody repression by the undis- ciplined troops employed by the Turks for that purpose ; it therefore decided to occupy the prov- inces provisionally. Diplomacy saw the danger of a fresh conflagration which the armed interven- tion of Greece was ca|!>able of enkindling. The utmost possible amdunt of pressure was therefore brought to bear upon the government of Athens in order to induce it to withdraw the troops; these recrossed the frontier upon the solemn as- surance of the great powers that the national aspirations and interests of the Greeks should be tbje subject of the deliberations of the approach- ing congress.